Official Launch of Kupikupi FM 96.3

Sabah’s latest radio station – KupiKupiFm – is attracting attention with their usage of Sabah slang.

The station, which has been on air for less than two weeks, uses common Sabah Malay in their daily communication with listeners.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said the station was doing a good job in attracting local listeners.

“If the deejays were to use the so-called standard Malay, I am sure not many people will tune in and I am also sure our children are smart enough to know that the everyday Sabahan Malay we use is not examination-suitable,” he said at the launch of the station.

He said the station could not use just one native language as only a limited number of people understands it.

In fact, Masidi said the way the radio station communicated could actually foster better relation among Sabahans.

“They are using our everyday language so they are reaching out to the majority of the community and with a large segment of the people tuned in to this station, messages can be delivered more efficiently,” he said.

Masidi hopes that the radio station would take the opportunity to spread messages of tolerance and unity among people, as well as encourage youth to be more proactive in changing their standard of living.

He said many youths were complaining about being jobless but were not doing enough to get themselves employed.

He said there were also people talking about their jobs being taken by foreigners but almost no locals were willing to take the foreigners’ jobs, especially in construction and agriculture.

“Our people like to complain but they are fussy when choosing a job, so I hope the radio station is able to change our people’s mindsets,” he said adding no one should be ashamed of doing a job as long as it was not wrong.

KupiKupiFm which went live on Jan 20 can be tuned in at 96.3fm from Kuala Penyu to Kota Belud.

It is currently the only radio station that plays more than 80% Sabah songs.